Golf-course maintainer



Nov. l, 1927-,

F. H. SMITH ET AL GOLF COURSE MAINTAINER i ,H5 im, 2L wie@ PatentedA Nov.A 1, 1927.

FRANKH. SMITH AND CHRIS L. SHEELY, GF ERIE, lKANSAS.

GOLF-COURSE .'LWAINTAINER.

Application filed 'October 7, 1926. Serial No.Y 140,130.

This invention relates to golf course maintainers and has for an important objectv thereof the provision ofv a` device which simultaneously levels and packs the surface of the green. v

A further object of the invention is to provide a `device of this character which may be quickly shifted from its operative to inoperative state, so that certain portions thereof employed in the treatment of the green are moved out of contact with the ground and areV not unduly worn during transportation.

A further objectv of the invention .is to provide a device of this character having a controlling handle by means of which it is drawn over the surface of the green, which controlling handle is so constructed that it may be employed to shift certain ground working implements carried by the maintainer into or out of operative position with relation to the ground.

These and other objects we attain by the construction shown inthe accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of our invention and wherein Figure 1 is a Aplan view of al maintainer constructed in accordance with our invention; Y

Figure 2 is a side lelevation thereof showing the maintainer in solid lines inthe po4 sition which the parts occupy during transA portation of the device from place to place and in dotted lines the positions ofthe movable parts when the device is in use;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure is a section on the line 4 4 of Figure 1;V l l Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation Vshowing the control for the drag;

-Figure 6 is a fragmentary bottom elevation of the ground working device;V y'

Figure 7 is aj section onthe line 7-7 of Figure 1. x j

Referringvnow more particularly to the drawings, the numeral lOvgenerally designates the side members of a frame, the rear ends of which are provided with downwardly projecting extensionsl 11' in which, adjaends of which upturned end urging the plate 27 downwardly.

cent the lower ends thereof, is mounted an axle 12. Upon thisaxle is mounted a roller 13 which extends the entire width of the frame. At the front end of the frame, side Vmembers 10 are connected by a cross mem-v ber 14 having a central opening 15. A yoke 16 is provided having downturned arms 17 between which upon an aXle 18 carried by these'arms a roller 19 of less width than the frame ismounted. At its central portion1 the yoke 16 has secured thereto an upwardly extending king bolt 18, the upper end of which projects through the front cross member lll and is squared at 20, as more clearlyshown in Figure 1'. Upon the upper end of this king bolt above the cross member 111 a handle 22 is mounted, this handle having engagement with the king bolt', as at 23, whichlwill permit the handle to be vertically osoillated but prevent it from rotating with relation to the king bolt. About the king bolt'between the cross member 14 and the yoke, a bearing 24 is preferably arranged.

Rearwardly of the cross bar 14, the side members 10 of the frame are provided with downwardly extending arms 25 to the lower portions 26 of'a transversely ext-ending plate 27 are connected for vertical movement. The arms 25 are secured in position upon the side members 10 Vby bolts 28, each of which at the inner face of the arm has a downturned extension 29, the lower end of which projects through an opening 30 formed in the plate 27. About these extensions between the plate 27 and the stops 31 carried by the extensions,

coil springs 32 are disposed for constantly The lower surface of this plate is providedy with ground working pins 33 which are arranged in rows and the pins of each of which are staggered with relation to 'the pins 'of the remaining row. The upper Surface of thel plate 27 has secured thereto an upwardly extending yoke `311l including a cross bar o5 extending transversely of the frame and'paralleling the cross bar 14:.v l

A lY-shapedcontrol member 36 has its V.stem`37 mounted upon the king bolt 18 imthe handle 22 and the mediatelyl heneath 38 thereof projected beends of the arms till neath the cross bar 35 of the yoke and h cld against transverse movement with relation thereto by portions 39 of the yoke. The forward end of the stem portion 37 which underlies the handle 22 in advance of the kingl bolt 1S is upturned, as at 40, and between this stem and the adjacent face of the cross bar, a washer l1 is placed having a convez; face 43 opposing the face of the cross bar let.

It will be obvious that the handle 22 is forced. downwardly to the position shown in solid lines in Figure 2. This handle, by its engagement with the stem 3?, will cause the iearieiids of the arms 38 of the control meniber to be elevated and will thereby elevate the plate 2T and its pins. against the action of the springs 32, so that these pins are disengaged from the ground.

Immediately rearwardly of the arms 25, the side members l() are connected by a transversely extending shaft 43 havin@ that portion thereof arranged between the side members split, as at Llll, to provide means for clamping to the shaft one end of a fabric sheet 4:5, so that this sheet may be wound thereon. Exteriorly of one side member, the shaft i3 is provided with a Vcrank i6 whereby it may be rotated and the shaft and adjacent side member have a pawl and ratchet connection, as at Il?, so that the shaft may be held with the fabric sheet under a desired tension. rllhe oppositeend of the fabric sheet is secured to a transversely eX- tending' shaft 48 carried by the side members immediately yadjacent the roller 13. The shaft i8 islilrewise split, so that the fabric member may be secured thereto. Between the shaft 43 and 48, the .e members of the frame are engaged by out urncd portions el) and the ends of the arms of a til-shaped guide 5l, the cross bar 52 of which has its .lower face arranged in a plane slightly above the plane connecting;- the bottom faces of the rollers 18 and 19. rlhe fabric l5 passes about this cross bar'52 and when tensioned, as shown in solid lines in Figure 2, is held out of engagement with the ground. Willen, however, the shaft /lf is rotated to provide slacli. in the fabric sheet, the'frictionall ongagen'ient ot the sheetagainst the lround will cause the same to occupy position such asshown in dotted lines in this figure.. rlhe cross bar provides a limit for rearward movement, so that a portion of the fabric is dragging over the sandy surface of the tee to smooth out the ridges formed by .the ground workingA pins 38 to prepare the ground for the passaOe of the packing roller 13. The fabric emoleyed is preferably relatively heavy carpet or some such material which isquite flaccid and of considerable weight. It will, of course, be obvious that in moving thedevice when notin use, vthis fabric is tensioned'and the'handle 22 is de'- pressed, so that ground working pins 33 are in inoperative position.,

Since the construct-ion hereinbefore set forth is capable of a certain range of change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of the invention, we do not limit ourselves to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

Ve claim zl. In a golf course maintainer, a frame having front and rear rollers, a handle pivotally connected with the front of the frame for vertical movement with relation thereto, ground working' implements carried by the frame and operatively connected with the handle whereby vertical movement of the handle in one direction shifts the ground working implements to inoperative position, means normally maintaining` the ground workingT implements in operative position, a fabric sheet supported from the frame between the ground working implements and the rear roller and adapted to engage the surface of the lgreen as a drag.

2. ln a golf course maintainer, a frame having front and rear rollers, handle pivotally connected with the front of the frame for vertical movement with relation thereto, around working implements carried by the frame and operatively connected with the handle whereby vertical movement of the iandle in one direction shifts the ground working implements to inoperative position, means normally maintaining the Vground working implements in operative position, a fabric sheetsupported from the frame between the ground working` implements and the rear roller and adapted toengagc the surface of tl'ieigieen as a and means for vating the fabric sheet from engagement with the ground. Y

3. In a golf course maintainer, a frame having front and rear rollers, a handle pivotally connected with the front of the frame for vertical movement with relation thereto, ground working` implements carried by the frame and operatively connected with the handle whereby vertical movement of the handle in one direction shifts the ground working implements to` inoperative position, means normally maintaining the ground IUS lll)

working implements. in operar-ive position,

fabric sheet supported from the frame between Y the the reary roller and adapted to engage'the surface of the IAgreen as a drag and means carried by the frame and engaging `the fabriclsheet preventingY slack in the fabric sheet from moving rearwardly beneath said rear roller. Y Y

'/l. ln a golf'course maintainer,a fra-ine having frontend rear rollers, a handlepivotally connected with the front of the' frameV for vertical movement with relation thereto, ground Working implementscarried by the ground worlringimplements andV frame and operatively connected with the handle whereby vertical movement of the handle in one direction shifts the ground working implements to inoperative position, means normally maintainig the ground working implements in operative position, a fabric sheet supported from the frame between the ground working implements and the rear roller and adapted to engage the surface of the green as a drag, means carried by the frame and engaging the fabric sheet preventing` slack in the fabric sheet from moving rearwardly beneath said 'rear roller' and means for tensioning the fabric sheet to withdraw the same from engagement with the ground.

5. ln a golf course maintainer, a frame having front and rear rollers, a handle pivotally connected with the front of the frame for vertical movement withrelation thereto, ground working implements carried by the frame and operatively connected with the iandle whereby vertical movement of the handle in one direction shifts the ground working implements toinoperative position, means normally maintaining the ground working implements in operative position, a fabric sheet supported from the frame between the ground working implements and the rear roller and adapted to engage the surface of the green as a drag and means carried by the frame and engaging the fabic sheet preventing slack in the fabric sheet from moving rearwardly beneath said rear roller comprising a horizontal bar eX- tending transversely ofthe frame and in proximity to the ground and Vabout which the sheet passes. n

6. ln a golf course maintainer, a frame having front and rear rollers, a handle pivotally connected with the front of the frame for vertical movement with relation thereto, ground working implements carred by the frame and operatively connected with the handle whereby vertical movement of the handle in one direction shifts the ground' working implements yto inoperative position, means normally maintaining the ground working implements in operative position, a fabric sheet supported from the framev between the ground working implements and the rear roller and adapted to engagerthe surface of the green as a drag, a shaft rotatably supported by and extending transversely of the frame Yto which one end of the fab- Aric sheet is secured and means for securing said shafts in rotatably adjusted positions.

7. ln a golf course maintainer, a frame having front and rear rollers, a handle pivotally connected with the front of the frame for vertical movement with relation thereto, ground working implements carried by the frame and operativelyl connected with the handle whereby verticalV movementv of the handle in` one direction shifts the ground surface of the green-as a drag, a shaft rotatablv supported by and extending transversely of the frame to which one end of the fabric sheet is secured, means for securing said shafts in rotatably adjusted positions, there being a second shaft spaced from the first named shaft to which the opposite end of the sheet is secured and a bar secured to and.

extending transversely of the frame about which said sheet passes intermediate said shafts.

8. In a golf course maintainer, a frame having front and rear rollers, a handle pivotally connected with the front of the frame for vertical movement with relation thereto, ground working implements carried by the frame and operatively connected with the handle whereby vertical movement of the handle in one direction shifts the ground working implements to inoperative position, means normally maintaining the groimd working implements in operative position, a fabric sheet supported from the frame between the ground working implements and the rear roller and adapted to engage the surface of the green as a drag, a shaft rotatably supported -by and extending transversely of the frame to which one end of the fabric sheet is secured, means for securing said shafts in rotatably adjusted positions, there being a second shaft spaced from the first named shaft to which the opposite end of the sheet is secured and a bar secured to and eX- tending transversely of the .frame about which said sheet passes intermediate said shafts, said sheet when tensioned about said bar having its lowermost point vertically `spaced above a plan-eincluding the bottom faces of said rollers. y

9. In a golf course maintainer, a frame having front and rear rollers, a handle `whereby the frame may be drawn over the ground pivotally connected with the front of the frame for vertical movement with relation thereto, ground working implements carried by the frame andv operatively connected with the handle whereby. vertical movement of the handle in one direction shifts the ground working implements .to inoperative position and means normally maintaining the ground working implements in operative position. n

10. In a` golf course maintainer, a frame having front and rear rollers yand a front bar, a handle pivotally connected with the front bar for vertical movement with relation thereto, a transversely extending plate carried by the frame and capable. of limited vertical movement with relation thereto,

ground working pins extending downwardly withdrawn from engagement with the from the lower face of said plate, means norground.

mally urging the plate downwardly and a n testimony whereof we hereunto alix 10 Connection between said plate and the handle our signatures.

- whereby apredetermned movement of the handle in a vertical plane causes said plate FRANK H. SMITH. to be elevated when the pins thereol are CHRIS LVSHEELY. 

